Exercise increases the utilization of oxygen in the body, and therefore enhances the production of reactive oxygen species and impairs both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defense systems in skeletal muscle and blood. On the other hand, it has been suggested that the activity of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) (Russel A P et al., 2014), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) (Fernandez-Gonzalo et al., 2013), nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1), mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) (Norrbom et al., 2004; Pilegaard et al., 2000), and sirtuins (Suwa and co, 2013; Villanova et al., 2013) could play an important role in the exercise-induced adaptive response.
Sirtuin 1, silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1, (SIRT1) is an important regulator of metabolism which controls the activity of key transcription factors such as PGC-1α, forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1), and p53, which play a key role in the training response. Therefore, activators of SIRT1, have potentially beneficial effects which enhance aerobic performance. Curcumin was a potent peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR γ) agonist in that it up regulated PPAR γ expression and PPAR γ-peroxisome proliferator response element (PPRE) binding activity (Liu et al., 2013; Jacob et al., 2007). Curcumin may regulate molecules involved in energy homeostasis. SIRT1 is known to deacetylate histones and non-histone proteins including transcription factors thereby regulating metabolism, stress resistance, cellular survival, cellular senescence/aging, inflammation-immune function, endothelial functions, and circadian rhythms. Curcumin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties via modulating different pathways, such as nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK)-dependent signaling pathways (Chung et al., 2010; Sharma et al., 2009).
Recent studies have indicated that antioxidant supplementation led to the prevention of strenuous exercise induced oxidative injury in in-vivo studies. Many studies have indicated that antioxidant nutrient supplementations prevented strenuous exercise-induced oxidative injury in human subjects and rats (Heunks, L. M et al., Xanthine oxidase is involved in exercise induced oxidative stress in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am. J. Physiol., 1999; 277, R1697-R1704; Khanna, S., Atalay, M., Laaksonen, D. E., Gul, M., Roy, S., & Sen, C. K. (1999). Alpha-lipoic acid supplementation: Tissue glutathione homeostasis at rest and after exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 86, 1191-1196.
Atalay, M., Laaksonen, D. E., Khanna, S., Kaliste-Korhonen, E., Hanninen, O., and Sen, C. K. (2000) Vitamin E regulates changes in tissue antioxidants induced by fish oil and acute exercise. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 32, 601-607; Mastaloudis A, et al. Endurance exercise results in DNA damage as detected by the comet assay. Free Radic Biol Med. 2004).
Curcumin (1,7-bis(4-hydroxy 3-methoxy phenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione), a polyphenolic compound isolated from Curcuma longa L. and present in curry spice, has a long story of use in Indian medicine for anti-inflammatory and other therapeutic purposes (Goel and Aggarwal, 2010). It has exhibited antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, hepatoprotective, thrombosuppressive, cardioprotective, anti-arthritic, and anti-infectious properties (Gupta et al., 2013). The curcuminoids, curcumin, bisdemethoxy curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and tetrahydro curcumin are major constituents of the curcumin formulation derived from the extraction process.
Downhill running is associated with fiber damage, inflammation, delayed-onset muscle soreness, and various functional deficits. Curcumin, has been investigated for its anti-inflammatory activity and may offset some of the damage and functional deficits associated with downhill running Davis J M, et al 2007, examined the effects of curcumin on inflammation and recovery of running performance following downhill running in mice. It was found that downhill running was associated with an increase in inflammatory cytokines and creatine kinase that were blunted by curcumin feedings. These results support the hypothesis that curcumin can reduce inflammation and offset some of the performance deficits associated with eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage.
Takahashi M et al. Int J Sports Med. 2014, investigated the effects of curcumin supplementation on exercise-induced oxidative stress in humans. Each participant received oral administration of 90 mg of curcumin or the placebo 2 h before exercise and immediately after exercise. Serum biological antioxidant potential concentrations measured immediately after exercise were significantly elevated in the single and double curcumin supplementation trials compared with pre-exercise values. These findings indicate that curcumin supplementation can attenuate exercise-induced oxidative stress by increasing blood antioxidant capacity.
WO 2011056549 describes dietary supplement compositions that include an adaptogenic agent, an anti-inflammation agent, and an anti-oxidant. Methods for using dietary supplement compositions include (i) inhibiting, decreasing, and/or preventing delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS); (ii) inhibiting, decreasing, and/or preventing exercise-induced muscle damage; and/or (iii) modulating the expression of genes that are correlated with exercise-induced muscle damage.
WO2014204866A1 describes mixtures of prenylated flavonoids, stilbenes, or both with flavans or curcuminoids which are capable of modulating joint inflammation, joint pain, joint stiffness, cartilage degradation, or improving mobility, range of motion, flexibility, joint physical function, or any combination thereof. Such a mixture of compounds can optionally be used in combination with other joint management agents, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents/analgesics, cyclooxygenase/lipoxygenase COX/LOX inhibiting agents, glucosamine compounds, neuropathic pain relief agents and the like.
Patent application US20140308212A1 relates to a composition, comprising a therapeutic agent such as curcumin encapsulated by a microvesicle, wherein the microvesicle is derived from an edible plant. When such compositions are administered amount of inflammatory cytokine in a subject is reduced to considerable level.
US20140255511A1 relates to a method for treatment or prevention of muscle atrophy caused by immobilization comprising administering a composition comprising leucine, isoleucine, valine and at least one antioxidant such as curcumin.